Figure for ballroom dancing practice



S. E. FEIS'L' nsuma FOR BALLROOM DANCING PRACTICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 3.1921.

Patented May 17, 1921.

" mmvron S/DNL-yL 5/57- ATTORNEYS S E w M T l W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FIGURE FOR BALLROOM DANCING PRACTICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May it, 1921.

Application filed February 3,1921. Serial No. 442,225.

To all whomit may concern Be it known that I, SIDNEY E. Enis'r', a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the'city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Figure for Ballroom Dancing Practice, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to devices for teaching dancing and has for an object to provide an improved device which may be used by a pupil on a ballroom floor for practice.

Another object in view is to provide a figure capable of movement over a floor which is formed with means whereby a student may be properly secured thereto and use the figure as a partner when dancing.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a figure used in teaching danc-v ing formed so that it canbe adjusted to properly co-act with any size student and assist the student in learning to properly maneuver a partner on a ballroom floor.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a device disclosing an embodiment of the invention, the same being'shown in connection with a student in the act of dancing.

Fig. 2 is a side view of the figure shown in Fig. 1 with the covering dress broken away for illustrating the foldablearrangement of the front legs.

Fig. 3is a rear plan view on an enlarged scale of the rear members or legs shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front view of the lower part of the figure shown in Fig.2 with certain parts removed and the supporting legs in an unfolded position, the same being on a somewhat enlarged scale.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numeral, '1 'indicates the body of the figure which is provided with articulated arms 2 and 3 and which is preferably pro vided with a covering 4 which is in the form of a brace. Connected in any suitable manner with the body 1 is a strap and buckle structure 5 whereby the hand of a student may be clamped in place against the hack of the figure 8. Also secured to the hack of the figure, preferably slightly below the strap 5, is a plate 6 which is held in place by screws or other fastening means, said plate having a bar 7 rigidly connected or other material 12 is provided at the lower end of the tubelO and is connected thereto in such a manner that the ball is supported by the tube when the tube is raised but the ball is permitted a free rotation in any direction when engaging the floor. In order to secure this result a form of cone or hood 13 is provided and rigidly secured to the tube 10, said cone or hood extending past a central line on the ball 12 and grips the ball to a sufiicient extent to normally hold the ball in place sothat it may be snapped intoposition or removed by a strong pull.

Whenthe figure is 'moved over the floor the ball 12 will roll readily along the floor so that only a slight effort must be made by the student in order to pull the figure along and, consequently, will cause the student to use his knowledge of leading whenever he utilizes the figure. When the figure is not desired but is to be placed to one side the folding leg structure 15 is movedfrom the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in 1 Fig. 4 whereupon the figure will remain in an upright osition until it is used as again desired. hen this occurs, the leg structure 15 is again folded up as shown in Fig. 2 and the figure used as a partner in danc- Fhis figure usually takes the place of a lady dancer in order. that the male pupil may clearly learn leading and also learn maneuvering on a ballroom floor. Itwill be noted that thedigure must be moved by the student and,""eonsequently, the student must take the proper precaution to avoid other couples on the same floor and in taking these precautions he graduall learns the usual maneuvers which a goo dancer has already acquired. Referring again to the folding leg structure 15, it will be noted that the leg section 16 is pivotally mounted at 17 on a pair of brackets'18 secured in any desired way to the body 1.- A pair of auxiliary leg sections 19 and 20 are pivotally mounted to the end of will then act as braces. When the auxiliary sections 19 and 20 are folded against the section 16, said section 16 is moved upwardly until it snaps past the spring clips 23 and 24 which clips not only hold section 18 in a folded position but also the auxiliary leg sections 19 and 20. As indicated in Fig. 2 the auxiliary leg sections 19 and 20 and associated parts are arranged in the rear of the cut-out portion 26 so that the cut-out portion 26 may properly function. This arrangement is provided so that the knees of the student may not strike against the lower part of the dummy or' form 1.

What I claim is 1. -A figure used in dancing instructions comprising a body, a'leg connected with the back of the body and out of the way of the feet of a student using the figure and means for'connecting a students hand to the body near the back thereof.

2. In a figure for teaching dancing, a body, a leg connected to the back thereof extending in a rearward direction from the back and then downwardly, a ball rotatably connected with the lower end of said leg and arranged to engage the floor and slide thereover as the figure is moved by the student and means for retaining a students hand in engagement with the back of the body when the device is in use.

3. A figure for use in teaching dancing comprising a body, a strap for retaining the hand of a student in engagement with the body and a rear leg structure secured to said body at the back, said'rear leg structure comprising a bent rod formed with a reara body,

ward extending section and a downward extending section, a tube telescoping with said downward extending section, means for locking said tube at different places along said rod for changing the effective length of the leg and a floor engaging member mounted on the lower end of said tube.

4. A figure for use in teaching dancing comprising a body, means for connecting the hand of a student to the back of the body, a

' leg connected to the rear of the body and a folding leg connected to the bottom of the body and adapted when in one position to be folded against said body and when in the other position to engage the floor adjacent the front of the body whereby said body may be supported in an upright position.

5. In a figure for use in teaching dancing means for connecting the hand of a student to the back of the body and a leg structure extending from the back of said body, said leg structure comprising a bar rigidly secured to said body and provided with a rearward extending section and a downward extending section said downward extending section having a series of apertures therein, a tubular member fitting over said downward extending section provided with a (pair of apertures, a pin adapted to be inserte through the apertures in said tubular member and any of the apertures in said downward extending section whereby the effective length of said downward extending section will be varied, and a ball rotatably mounted on the lower end of said tube.

SIDNEY E. FEIST. 

